PMA expresses concern over the delay in PMDC approval

KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) expressed grave concern over the notification No. 4-11/2019-Min-I dated; 14-4-20 by the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of Pakistan.

According to this notification, autonomous bodies of different divisions have been approved and notified. Unfortunately, the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council has not been approved as an autonomous body. The PMDC is constitutionally an autonomous regulatory body responsible for regulating medical education and registering medical professionals in the country.

The PMA welcomed the formation of an ad-hoc council of the PMDC by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. However, it expressed concerns over the ad-hoc council not being given a time frame to complete its task. We believe that the ad-hoc council has been set up till the appointment/elections of the new council under the PMDC ordinance 1962. Being an ad-hoc setup, the first and last priority of this council is to conduct elections for the new council, as noted by the PMDC ordinance 1962.

It is noted with regret that the elections are not even on the agenda of the ad-hoc council. The ad-hoc council is indulging in all other matters other than elections, which is against the orders of the Honorable Supreme Court.

The PMA also mentioned that the post of president of the council is an honorary post, and the PMDC has paid no earlier president of even the regular council. Under what moral or legal authority is the president of an ad-hoc council being sanctioned pay from the PMDC worth 1 million PKR (according to reliable sources), the PMA questioned.